The Sprout
Installing solar panels
The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 162 November 2021
The Sprout
The Newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Directors: Janet Bartlam, Judi Bolder, John Clements,
Michael Cockman, Ag MacKeith, Robin Palmer
Editor
Ag MacKeith
South View House, Old Botley, OX2 0JR Tel: 724452 Editor@TheSprout.org.uk
Advertising Manager
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Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information printed in this
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so in a personal capacity. Opinions expressed are the opinions of the individual
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It can also be found online at BotleyHinksey.org.uk
The Sprout
Issue 162, November 2021
Contents
3 Climate Crisis where do we
come in?
5 Making sense of saving energy
7 Effective Recycling
9 Botley School Running Club
11 Greening your Garden
17 Managing Credit Shortfall
19 Getting to Net Zero
21 Farewell Botley Health Walks
23 Retrofitting a 1950s Semi
25 Remembrance Sunday
27 Lucy’s Marathon
29 BMC Progress Report
31 Cumnor Choral Society
33 Botley Apple Day, Planning
Applications
34 Randoms
35 Local Organizations
From the Editor
In view of the vital importance of the COP26 talks in Glasgow this
month, the November Sprout is dedicated to local initiatives to
combat climate change and support biodiversity. The Botley Green
Guide, inserted with this issue, is funded by the parish council and
full of good ideas. It was launched at the public meeting that set up
Sustainable Botley, the band of local people eager to get things
moving that are better done working together. In this issue you will
find two articles on retrofitting your house (pages 19 and 23), one
on cultivating your garden for wildlife (p11), and other items on
recycling and energy-saving. (The picture on the cover shows a
team installing solar panels in a 2017 government initiative to put
them on 800,000 low-income houses.) On other subjects, Botley
School kids have been running in a marathon (p9) and Lucy Monks
has been reading one (p27). The original Botley Health Walks, set
up by Briony and Roy Newport in 2002 (p21) has decided to call it a
day and hand over the baton to someone else. Since we received
the article, we have heard the sad news that Roy died on 14th
October. We send our heartfelt sympathy to Briony. Roy was an
early Sprout supporter and a power in the community an obituary
will follow in due course.
Ag MacKeith
Botley and the Climate Crisis
where do we come in?
As you read this, politicians and climate experts from across the
world will be arriving in Glasgow for the United Nations COP26
Conference. This is shaping up to be the most important event so far
in the history of environmental concern: the lead up shows promise,
but we need more than words, words, words: we need action!
Glasgow and the UN may seem a long way from Botley, but we have
our part to play. Global agreements need national laws to turn them
into action, and that action happens where we live.
But we can do more than just react to national decisions. We can
influence change in various ways:
We can recognise what needs to be done locally and help do
it. That can range from the simple actions in the ‘Green Guide’
through to installing solar panels on our roofs or helping with local
conservation initiatives.
We can push for change. Our councillors and MPs tend to focus
on issues that worry their constituents. A letter about the need for
more effective action across Oxfordshire shows them that you are
worried and want them to act.
Above all we need to accept the need for change and get
others to do so. Changes are needed in how we heat our homes
and how we travel and what we eat. We need to play our part
and support the politicians making what may be hard decisions.
There are plenty of ways to get involved. The new Sustainable
Botley group is getting going and there are other groups already
active here and across Oxford. Other articles in this Sprout have
more ideas and advice.
And there’s one immediate action for us all get involved with the
Global Day of Action for Climate Justice on Saturday 6th
November! There are events happening all over the world as well
as online. Everyone can add their voice to demand real and fair
action from their local and national governments. There will be a
March and Rally in Oxford starting from Manzil Way on Cowley
Road at 1.30pm and ending at 3pm with a Rally in Broad Street.
At 11am we will also be holding a short event here in Botley at
Church Way. We’ll be meeting to send a photo message to the
Prime Minister and sharing that on social media as a warm-up to the
Rally. Please join us with banners, placards, musical instruments,
green balloons and anything else to send a strong visual message!
Others will be doing the same across the county at the same time.
Making sense of saving energy
It’s always made sense to save energy we pay for it so why waste
it? But much waste is down to the nature of our homes rather than
about switching lights off. UK homes are badly insulated compared
to the rest of Europe, and account for around 20% of the UK’s
‘greenhouse gas emissions, so this is a key area for action. As
energy prices rise, it makes even more sense to look hard at how
we can save energy and money. We need government support, but
we can all play a part in cutting energy use.
Recent government announcements on energy focus on grants for
heat pumps, available from next April. But there’s little point in
investing in new equipment if energy is still being wasted. The
simplest and cheapest ways to save are around cutting draughts
so do these first. Check where the draughty parts of the house are,
and get it sorted. Other simple actions are in the Green Guide and
here: https://energysaving trust.org.uk/hub/quick-tips-to-save-energy/
Saving energy isn’t a one-off, it takes long-term planning and getting
everyone in your household engaged. It’s also something to focus
on if you are having any home improvement work done. Two articles
(pages 19 and 23) show ways people have set to work retrofitting
their Elms Rise homes.
Yo u can work out where and how to invest time and money with the
help of this official website: https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/
It has never mattered more!
Chris Church
Recycling Time to Step It Up
Here in the Vale we’re amongst the country’s recycling leaders. We
have a good collection rate for residential recyclable materials
(63.3% March 2021). But we could do more. Over 80% of household
waste can be recycled. According to WRAP, the recycling charity,
“Now more than ever it’s vital we do everything to protect our planet
and go that extra mile. Most of us recycle, but we need to do more
to combat climate change. It all adds up. The UK’s current recycling
saves 18 million tonnes of CO
2
every year, which is the same as
taking 12 million cars off the road.
We need people to look at what they are (and are not) putting in
their bins. It’s not just about putting more into our green recycling
bins (or the communal facilities, if you live in a flat) but also about
being mindful about what’s not wanted in these collections.
Contamination is an on-going problem. Nappies, garden waste,
batteries, dirty food packaging, clothing and textiles need to be kept
out. Putting them in can cause whole loads to be rejected at the
processing plant. There is no need to bag recycling (and no black
bags please). And remember to rinse and squash containers, too.
Not sure what can be collected in our door-to-door recycling
collections? The Vale has a list at: https://bit.ly/valewasteinfo
Over one quarter of food waste still ends up in the wrong bin.
The Vale has a separate weekly collection so please use it for all
food scraps and un-edible items like bones. It is sent to a local
facility, which captures gas to make electricity and a soil conditioner
for nearby farms.
And what happens to the black bin? Most of Oxfordshire’s residual
(non-recyclable) waste goes to the Ardley Energy Recovery Facility
where it is burnt, creating
enough energy to power 54,000
homes.
More recycling is important. But
it’s also important to think about
how we can reduce and cut our
waste, and how we can reuse
materials. The Botley ‘Green
Guide’ has more ideas on how
we can do this Jan McHarry
Botley School Running Club
Running a half marathon (13.1miles) can be quite daunting for some
children, but if you spread the miles out so that children can run a
little bit 3 times a week, it becomes a palatable idea. This is what we
offered to KS2 children at Botley School: a running club for 15
minutes, three times a week for 5 weeks. The commitment
demonstrated by the regular attendance, the happy (and red!) faces
that we saw when the morning bell rang and the smiles and positive
energy released by physical activity was worth everybody’s efforts.
Being able to run the final mile at the Official Oxford Half 2021 on
17th October, alongside other children who had also run the 12.1
miles before the race, was an exciting occasion, which will definitely
be worth organising again next year.
All the children and parents arrived, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, at
8.30am. Their adrenaline was clearly pumping even on a brisk
Sunday morning! We entertained the children on the leafy lawns of
Balliol College with songs, games and a leaf display as well as a
warm up conga (see photo)! This was led in part by our fantastic
Year 6 School Sports Leaders.
As we rolled out to the
starting line, the hours of
training paid off. Botley
children felt genuinely
ready for that last mile so
ready in fact that we took
2nd and 3rd places in the
actual race. What is more,
everybody finished the
race safely, to earn their
first running medal. It goes
without saying that our
committed staff at Botley School helped make this magic happen.
As someone wise once said: it’s not the winning that counts but the
taking part. Never has this been truer than during the last five weeks
at Botley School, as sport connected so many families and friends,
through chilly, wet and muddy mornings to medals on Broad Street.
We will be back even bigger and better next year can’t wait!
Alex Neil
How Green is Your Garden?
This article isn’t about Botley in Bloom, or any other competition. It’s
not even just about front gardens. It is an attempt to encourage
everyone to think about what they can do in their own outside space
to make Botley greener and help mitigate the damaging effects of
climate change. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a gardener
you should be aware of the issues.
In my role as one of the judges of Botley in Bloom Front Gardens,
I’ve long been considering one of our competition categories. It’s
unarguably the most important one of all, namely that of ‘Best
Cultivated Wildlife Front Garden’. We had to add ‘cultivated’ as
probably the best gardening for wildlife would be to do nothing at all
but that doesn’t add up to a competition! The physical and mental
benefits to us of gardening are well documented. Even if you only
have room for a window box or a balcony, read on for some ideas of
how to garden responsibly.
Wildlife-friendly gardens
We have some lovely gardens in Botley and those at the front are
enjoyed by the whole neighbourhood, so here are a few tips to
ensure our local wildlife enjoy them too:
Choose hedges rather than fences.
Add climbers to walls ivy is particularly good for wildlife.
Ensure you plant pollinators, check out bee- and butterfly-friendly
plants.
Try to use native plants as they support a greater diversity of
wildlife.
Ensure you have ‘wildlife corridors’, i.e. spaces in your bounda-
ries to allow hedgehogs and other mammals to move around the
local area.
Don’t remove seed-heads until the birds have helped themselves.
Cut your grass much less often (if at all). Uncut grass quickly be-
comes a meadow.
Never use pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides anywhere.
Make a log pile. A great hiding place for insects and inverte-
brates, it will also attract many other species looking for a tasty
snack.
Have water in your garden. Even the smallest pond attracts frogs,
toads, newts, and a host of insects including damselflies and
dragonflies.
These last two points merit an article of their own and are great
projects to involve the whole family.
We know that we have serious pollution problems along the A34.
Did you know that gardens can operate as net carbon sinks,
absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they
release?
Planet-friendly gardens
I love lists so here’s another. If you are lucky enough to have a
garden, these are some further points to bear in mind for all outside
spaces:
ALWAYS buy peat-free compost. It will be labelled as such.
Peatlands store a third of the world’s soil carbon, and one metre
of peat takes 1,000 years to form. They are being alarmingly de-
pleted.
Make your own compost from garden and kitchen waste.
Install a rainwater butt. Rainwater is much better for your plants
anyway.
Mulching will keep soil healthy and reduce moisture loss.
Recycle, upcycle, or try to use local materials where possible.
Re-use plastic pots and seed trays and avoid buying new plastic.
We need to park our cars safely but don’t be tempted to pave
over your front garden.
Reasons not to replace your garden with a car park
Here’s one reason why. Did you know that if you pave over your
front garden (or make it impermeable in some other way) you could
be contributing directly to sewage being released into the Seacourt
Stream? This startling and unsavoury fact came to light during a
discussion on the importance of greening our gardens. Rainwater
that cannot be absorbed into the ground goes directly into the
drainage system. But this wasn’t designed to cope with the extra
water from the downpours that have now become normal. Heavy
rain opens the Combined Sewer Overflow valve, which drains into
the local river. Driveway legislation was introduced in 2008 to reduce
the impact of flooding. Any new driveway over 5m
2
must provide a
permeable area for the water to run to. If it doesn’t, you need to
have planning permission, and failure to do so is an offence carrying
a hefty fine.
Two more reasons: Firstly, hard surfaces soak up heat during the
day then release it into the surrounding environment at night,
contributing to overall warming of the environment. Secondly,
paving over front gardens hits wildlife and biodiversity hard. Insects
and other small organisms lose their habitat with a knock-on effect
for mammals and birds.
Is it time to rethink your own front garden? If more people were able
to plant up their front gardens then there would be more continuous
wildlife habitat, greatly benefitting the environment. You may even
wish to enter next year’s Botley in Bloom Front Garden competition.
I’m sure you can think of many more points to add to my
suggestions above. The Sprout would love to hear your ideas.
Viv Smith
Citizens Advice on coping
with Universal Credit shortfall
This year, the month of September ushered in
more ominous portents than chilly winds and
dark nights: the Government reduced Universal
Credit payments by £20 a week. This move could put
many floundering people in a critical situation. Rising prices and the
coming end of the pandemic furlough have joined other negative
trends to put millions in serious debt, unable to pay vital bills and
about to see life get even worse.
But, if you are in this position, remember that support and help are
available and you need not suffer alone.
Tak e ch arg e of you r sit ua tio n. St art by m aki ng a l ist o f wh at y ou o we
and add up what you need to pay out each month. This list puts your
financial position clearly in front of you in black and white. Next,
prioritise your debts. There is advice on the Citizens Advice website
to help you do this: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-
money. Some bills are more urgent than others. Rent or mortgage
arrears, fuel bills and Council Tax count as priority debts as there
could be serious consequences if you don’t pay them.
Get in touch with the companies to whom you owe money. Not
everybody feels confident about doing this, but the organisations
expect such calls, and they might be able to help by letting you pay
smaller amounts over a longer period, or even take a temporary
payment break.
The government-backed Breathing Space scheme could also give
you extra time to pay. See our website for details or www.gov.uk. If
you are eligible, you could get 60 days during which your creditors
can’t contact you, take any action against you or add interest and
charges to your debt. A Citizens Advice adviser can check your
debts to see if they are covered by the scheme.
If you need more specific support, or don’t feel able to manage your
situation alone, call the Citizens Advice debt helpline on 0800 240
4420. It really helps to make personal contact with somebody who
understands. You can also call our Adviceline free on 0808 278 7907
(Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) or try our webchat (click on “chat
with us online about debt”). Darius Halpern
Getting to Net Zero
When I moved to Elms Rise in 2007, I had good intentions to get
external wall insulation on my solid-walled house. I’ve worked on
energy and climate change since the early 1980s from researching
renewable energy to supporting groups and individuals in the
journey towards sustainable living. My own tendency is towards
frugality and it was a big thing to think about major improvements to
the house much easier to wear extra clothes in winter and hunker
down in the sitting room with my woodstove.
In 2017 lots of things started happening around climate action. At
COP15 in Paris, governments had agreed that we needed to limit
global warming to “well below 2°C” and preferably below 1.5°C. The
report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2018
set out how nasty things could get with 2°C of warming. It also made
it clear that we would have very few years to get to net zero global
greenhouse gas emissions if we wanted to be sure of staying below
1.5°C. Extinction Rebellion picked up on this, demanding a
commitment to net zero by 2025.
I realised I’d owned my house for over ten years and wasn’t about to
move and I really needed to sort it out as it was cold, damp and
mouldy. I decided to go for the Passivhaus retrofit standard
(‘EnerPHit’), which involves high levels of insulation for the walls,
roof and floor, triple glazing, airtightness and mechanical ventilation
with heat recovery.
Oxford architects Transition by Design and Cumnor-based builder
Alex McCarthy took on the work. Alex started on-site in February
2020 so it was a real lockdown project. Joju Solar provided the PV
and battery, and I got a small air-to-air heat pump which gives 4-
5kWh of heat for each 1kWh of electricity it uses.
Most of the solar electricity gets exported to the grid and I expect the
CO
2
emissions embodied in the build to be paid off by 2025. Last
winter I used 200kWh of electricity to maintain the house above
16°C. Heating to 20°C would need about twice as much. The
average house uses around 12,000kWh of gas. I don’t expect the
reduced cost of heating to justify the amount I spent on the rebuild
it was more about doing what felt right. I learned a lot in the process
and I’m happy to share what I can.
My house is one of the smaller semis at the bottom of Elms Rise. If
you pass it you’ll recognise it as the one that’s now bright yellow,
with windows that look somehow different from the neighbours, and
saplings growing in what used to be the parking space at the front. If
you’d like to know more about the technicalities there’s a case study
and a webinar here: https://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/oxford-
enerphit-plus/. And if you’d like a chat, do come and say hello or
drop me a line at laurie@livingwitness.org.uk. Laurie Michaelis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Farewell from the original Botley Health Walks
It has been decided not to re-
sume the walks again after the
various lockdowns and social dis-
tancing measures. We started on
9th September 2004 after training
as walk leaders by the then na-
tional Look After Your Heart
Campaign. Our trainer left her
job straight after, and none of the
local authorities seemed to have
been told we existed. Two years later Oxfordshire County Council
contacted us to find out what had taken place. The Government
were keen to have statistics about what “health issues” were being
addressed, so Botley Health Walks were mopped up and put on the
OCC map. The Sprout was always supportive and listed us in the
clubs’ section which was of great help as a non-supporter removed
all our advertising posters overnight.
Over the years many participated, the youngest was two years old
(in a pushchair) and the oldest a visitor called Ida, at 88. Var ious
walk routes, all pre-tested and not more than three miles, included
hilly and flat ones. We enjoyed social events together, visits to
woods, bluebell walks, walked around Farmoor, Wytham and Abing-
don, had meals together and a Christmas meal every year.
We would like to thank those who supported Botley Health Walks
over the years. We all nattered noisily together, had lots of fun to-
gether and new friendships were enjoyed. There are other walk
groups and ventures in the locality and we hope these will be as well
supported. The picture shows one of our last walks in 2019.
Briony & Roy Newport
Retrofitting a 1950s Semi on Elms Rise
We started a slow retrofit of our 1950’s semi on Cedar Road after we
moved in around 6 years ago. We don’t have a large pot of savings,
so we have kept control of the various stages of construction by
compartmentalizing each stage, and subsequently each trade.
We’ve been going around in circles about how to do this efficiently
and cost effectively. When we bought the house, we understood that
there was a great deal to do to achieve anything close to current
building regs, let alone EnerPhit standard.
The first step was cavity wall insulation. Next came the extension.
We wanted access onto the back garden, but we didn’t want to put
triple glazing into badly built walls, so we insulated them externally.
The contractor thought we were mad, but we managed it, although
the new Velfac window in the kitchen only opens halfway. Velfac
windows, unlike normal ones, are installed after the wall is finished
and they have a specific opening mechanism, which requires more
space. It was an important lesson for us: we are both architects, but
most of our work has been on large construction projects.
At the same time, we replaced the old PVC front door with a triple
glazed Velfac front door. And we replaced the plasterboard ceilings
on the first floor with insulated plasterboard, as loose insulation
cannot be inserted easily into this space. One easy win was adding
a lot of loose insulation into the roof space we probably have
around 400mm of insulation up there now.
Since that first stage, we have been desperately trying to work out
how to proceed with the rest of the house. There are so many issues
to deal with and each decision has knock-on effects. But finally, the
cold bridge caused by the concrete gutter/lintel/wall plate (very
efficient use of concrete at the time) was driving us mad. The mould,
which would not have been a problem in the past, when gas was
cheap and we overheated our homes, was becoming annoying, and
difficult to resolve. So, the next stage began. We employed a
company to remove the gutter and extend the joists by one tile, so
we had enough space under the gutter to butt up the 100mm
insulation. Peter was up on the scaffolding frantically shoving
insulation into the new void while the new facia was being installed,
much to the contractor’s amusement. But it was worth it.
The next stage was the insulation and new render on all the parts of
the house that were already white and rendered. Research
suggested that the only company that genuinely knew what they
were talking about was in Wales. This stage is now complete, and
we have had the window manufacturers down to measure up the
openings for the new triple-glazed windows (as per earlier lessons in
this process), to replace the very old and leaky double glazed PVC
ones. It turns out that the little window in the bathroom is too small
for the type of window we are using, so it will need to be adapted
when we move onto the next big construction stage.
The job is still far from finished. We will need to find a suitable
ventilation system for this more airtight construction. We need to
rebuild the wall of the lounge to take new triple glazed windows, and
we really need to think about how we are going to reduce the heat
loss through the floor but we are getting there, slowly. Fingers
crossed, next time we re-mortgage, we will be able to gain some
benefit from having a more energy-efficient house which
apparently is a factor now in the interest rates.
What has become apparent during this process is how much the
construction sector has to learn about retrofitting to achieve a
reduced carbon future in our current building stock. But they and
we are learning all the time, and every single project increases
that knowledge.
Melissa Kinnear and Peter Newton
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parish Council Remembrance Day Service
Following last year’s minimalist NHPC Remembrance Day Service,
this year’s service will be returning to its traditional format. The
Service, to be held in the Commonwealth War Graves plot within
Botley Cemetery on 14th November between 10.45 and 11.45am,
will see participation by members of the United Kingdom’s Armed
Forces, the Commonwealth, and representatives from those other
countries whose Service Personnel are laid to rest within the
Cemetery. Involvement from the Parish will include Scouts, Guides
and pupils from Matthew Arnold School, alongside local voluntary
and community organizations, dignitaries and religious leaders. All
members of the Parish are warmly invited to attend the Service and
to participate in the Act of Remembrance, commemorating those
who made the ultimate sacrifice. Cllr Graham Fairclough
Lucy’s Marathon
How old are you, Lucy? I'm 8
years old!
You h a v e r e a d 2 6 b o o k s i n 2 6
weeks for charity. That's a won-
derful achievement! What gave
you that idea? I like challenges
and I like reading :-) My Aunty
asked me to help her with her
fundraising for the London Mara-
thon and let me choose a charity.
I did 26 books because there are
26 miles in a marathon and I
wanted to make a "Marathon of
Books"!
What was your favourite book of
the 26? The least favourite? My
favourites were A Boy Called
Christmas and the Truth Pixie, because Matt Haig is my favourite
author. My least favourite was probably Fairy School: Fairy Dust.
Has reading so many books put you off reading more, or inspired
you to read more? More, more, more!
You raised an amazing £290 for the Botley Bikers, who cycle into
Oxford to bring food to people experiencing homelessness. Why
the Botley Bikers? Because it is a local charity. I also help
them by baking cakes or biscuits to deliver once a week, and I
wanted to help them more.
The money will go towards buying milk, bananas, satsumas and
cheese. Which of those do you like best? All of them! Cheese
on pizza, especially :-)
Lucy, what do you do when you're not reading books and baking
cakes for homeless people? Lots of things... Football, Cubs,
Brownies, swimming, play with my friends and I'm learning to roll-
er skate. I love drawing and art, and I LOVE dogs. And I go to
school and do my homework (boring!).
Rike Therivel
Botley Medical Centre progress report
First some questions from the PPG exec.
Q. GPs are in short supply at BMC. What can patients consult the
other clinicians at the practice about?
A. Such appointments can be forward-booked. Our receptionists
will guide you to the most appropriate clinician, as follows:
Pharmacists: can carry out medication reviews, request and issue
prescriptions, review and set up Dosette Boxes, and help with
medication queries including adverse reactions. They apply their
expertise to patients discharged from Hospital or secondary care.
We have an in-house Lead Pharmacist and two PCN Pharmacists.
We are recruiting a pharmacy technician to help process
prescriptions.
Physiotherapists: can assess, diagnose, treat, and manage
musculoskeletal (MSK) problems and undifferentiated conditions
and discharge a patient without a medical referral. They usually treat
back pain, foot and knee pain, etc.
Minor Illness Paramedic: sees ear and eye infections, minor pain
management, abdominal pain, chest infections, colds, coughs, skin
rashes, and urinary tract infections.
Advance Nurse Prescriber: can see Minor Illness, and Asthma and
Contraception.
Physician Associates: treat the same conditions as GPs but do not
prescribe. They are supervised by an experienced GP.
Social Prescriber: can support a wide range of people’s social,
emotional or practical needs, to improve their mental health and
physical wellbeing. They can support those with mild or long-term
mental health problems, complex needs, and social isolation.
Q. Are the appointments bookable online through the NHS and
PatientAccess apps still underutilised?
A. The five Face to Face appointments daily for every GP working
are often un-booked, usually by 15 appointments per day.
Q. Why keep these online bookable appointments available if they
are under-utilised?
A. NHS England and CCG require us to provide patients with
flexible access to appointments. This is a more efficient way to book.
Q. These apps ask for your NHS number. Where can I find it?
A. You can look it up here: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-
services/find-nhs-number/
Q. What if there are no more appointments for the Flu jab and I
haven’t had mine through the practice?
A. This has never yet happened. If it did patients can still get a
vaccination from their community pharmacist.
Livi appointments going well: over 1,500 patients have now
registered. 120 appointments were used in the last week of
September with good feedback (4.78 / 5 stars). You can find more
on our website, and at the practice.
Recruitment Update: a Reception Manager and Medical Secretary
joined in early October and six interviews are lined up for mid-
October for roles in reception and admin.
Flu vaccinations: the website has the latest information about the
upcoming flu clinics we will update this as soon as we are notified
about more supplies coming. PPG will relay this information.
COVID Boosters: The practice is not offering booster jabs. If you
are due a jab the NHS will contact you through the national COVID-
19 vaccination booking service. Boosters are being given at the
Kassam Stadium in Oxford, designated pharmacies and other sites.
General Winter Healthcare Please be proactive in taking care of
your health this winter - hospitals are already busy without Covid-19.
We advise that you wear your mask and keep socially distanced.
Message from the PPG The PPG welcome patients to their
meetings. Please contact the Secretary csugden@ocrpl.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cumnor Choral Society
CCS are happily rehearsing Handel’s Messiah“ in Cumnor Old
School at 8 pm each Friday. The concert is planned to take place in
the church of Saint Peter and St Paul, West Way, Botley on the 27th
November at 7.30pm.
Tickets will eventually be available from Caroline Cockman. Tel:
07961 900670 or cockman.caroline@gmail.com
New singers are very welcome and the only requirement is that you
enjoy singing in sociable company.
If you would like more information please contact John May, email
johnmay@btinternet.com
BOTLEY
APPLE DAY
2021
Sun shone,
apples
chopped,
juice made,
cake eaten,
tea drunk,
good time had
by all.
Roll on next
year!
LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P21/V2542/FUL
4 Stanley Close. Change of use to
HMO including extensions.
Target Decision Date:28 Oct
2 Sept.
P21/V2439/HH
129 Southern Bypass.
Erect detached residential annex.
13 September
TDD: 8 Nov
P21/V2695/HH
Bladon House Stanton Rd. Existing
single-storey replaced with new
single-storey extension.
21 September
TDD: 16 Nov
P21/V2746/HH
The Forresters 54 Hurst Rise Rd.
Extensions & alterations to existing
dwelling & new garage annexe.
27 September
TDD: 22 Nov
P21/V2775/HH
82 Westminster Way. Single storey
rear extension.
29 September
TDD: 24 Nov
P21/V2801/FUL
26 West Way Square. Illuminated
sign, retractable awning, fan
extractor and 2 compressor units.
30 September
TDD: 25 Nov
P21/V2901/HH
46 North Hinksey Lane. Single
storey side & rear extensions, part
first floor rear extension, loft
conversion with dormer window..
11 October
TDD: 6 Dec
Randoms
District councillor surgery
Missing Bean, Saturday 3rd December 1.30 to 3pm
Botley W.I.
Our next regular meeting is on 2 November when Jenny Millin will
talk about her family history in India. All welcome. The Eynsham
Markets ladies will be with us then. A Skittles evening will be held at
the WI hall on 19 November, 7pm. Christmas Fair on 28 November
at the Women’s Institute Hall, North Hinksey Lane (see diary on
back cover). We are looking for a Santa to help us out! Call 07598
251161, Santa, we need you!
Alison Jenner
Are you grieving for a loved one?
Join us for our annual service to Remember those we have Loved
on Sunday 14th November, 5.00pm at the church of St. Peter and
St. Paul, West Way, Botley.
New Botley Health Walks
Come and join this new iniiative. We meet outside Botley Library
every Tuesday morning at 11.00am and walk to a local green space.
The walk usually takes about an hour and is free of charge. See our
Facebook group Botley Health Routes (email botleyhealth
routes@gmail.com.) See www.getoxfordshireactive.org for other
Wellbeing walks in the district.
Service of Remembrance
Commonwealth War Graves, Botley Cemetery, 14 November, 10.45.
Oxford Area Quillers
I hope you enjoyed reading about our existence in last month’s
issue. If you are looking for a new hobby for the dark winter
evenings, or indeed a new hobby for any other time, then you are
welcome to come and join us. We meet on a Saturday once a month
at the North Hinksey WI Hall, from 10.30 until around 3 (but people
can drop in and out at times to suit). Remaining dates for this year
are 6th November and 4th December. We hope some of you may
come along and give quilling a go (if you don’t enjoy it then there is
no pressure to join us). Angela Arnold
Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details
to editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion.
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 710
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 710
4th Oxford Scout Group
Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Baby & Toddler Group
Badminton Club
BikeSafe. B4044 community
path campaign
Books on Wheels R.V.S.
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Botley Community Larder
Botley Library
Botley Seniors Lunch Club
Cumnor Choral Society
Cumnor Chess Club
Cumnor & District
Historical Society
Cumnor Gardening Club
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Hill End Volunteer Team
Lawn Tennis Club, N Hinksey
Let’s Sing! singing group
Morris Dancing Cry Havoc
North Hinksey Preschool
and Childcare clubs
N Hinksey Art Group
Weds 10 12.00 W.I. Hall Christina 07931 707997
N Hinksey Bellringers
Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volun t eers
Meets at weekends Contact Voirrey Carr
07798743121 voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of
Annual Cricket Match/ Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Parish Council
Sharon Henley, clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
N Hinksey Youth Club
Weds at LM pavilion, Daz: 07791 212866 or F’book
Oxford Flood Alliance
R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035
Oxford Flower Arranging Club
4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: Ox 865259
Oxford Harmony Men's
Acappella singing group
Meets Wednesdays 7.45 pm at Seacourt Hall,
contact pro@oxfordharmony.co.uk
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays,
twice monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com
Seniors, training etc jbrodley@chandlings.org.uk.
Raleigh Park, Friends of
raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Seacourt Hall Management
Committee
Michael Cockman 07766 317691
michael.cockman@gmail.com.
Shotokan Karate Club
6+ WOCC twice weekly Martyn King 07836 646450
Walking for Health
West Oxford Bowls Club
Contact details on
www.westoxfordbowlsclub.co.uk
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall
01865 570291 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A
(Uni of the 3rd Age) http://westoxfordu3a.org.uk/
West Way Day Centre
Mon & Fri 103pm, Field House, 07740 611971.
oxfordshirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Women’s Institute (Botley)
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
Banso tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
Baptist Hall
1 Church Way
Contact: Diane Melchert 01865 243664
hall rent botleybaptistchurch@gmail.com
The Rosary Room
Yarnells Hill, Elms Rise
Contact Maria Brown,
Te l : 0 1 8 6 5 2 4 7 9 8 6 .
SS Peter & Paul Church
Hall, West Way, Botley
Contact: 01865 242057 or
osneybenefice@outlook.com.
Women's Institute Hall,
North Hinksey Lane
Contact: Val Warner
Te l . 0 1 8 6 5 2 4 5 2 7 3
Seacourt Hall,
3 Church Way
Contact: Lottie White on 07452 960100,
or email admin@seacourthall.org.uk
Pavilion, Arnold’s Way,
Elms Rise, Botley
Contact: Darren Blase 241254
louiememorialpavilion@gmail.com
Oxford Rugby Club,
North Hinksey Village
Contact:. Mary Bagnall
mary.bagnall1@btinternet.com.
North Hinksey & Botley Churches
Times of Services (once resumed) and Contacts
St. Lawrence, Church of England, North Hinksey Lane
1st, 2nd, 4th Sunday, Sung Eucharist 11.3 0 a. m.
3 rd Sunday, Matins 11.3 0 am
St. Peter and St. Paul, Church of England, West Way
2nd Saturday each Month, 46pm Messy Church for children and their
carers
1st Sunday of the Month, 9.30am All Age service of Holy
Communion
All other Sundays, 9.30am Holy Communion with activities for children
Every Wednesday, 10.30am Holy Communion at Field House
Rev Clare Sykes, Tel. 01865 242345 or
revclare@btinternet.com
Our Lady of the Rosary, Roman Catholic, Yar n ells Hil l
Saturday 6.30 pm. Mass
Sunday 9.15 am Mass
Fr Daniel Lloyd. 07584 323915
dlloyd@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk.
Botley Baptist Church, 1 Church Way
Sunday Service 11 am.
Wednesday Zoom Bible Study 7.30 p.m.
Choir practice Thursday 2p.m.
Diane Melchert, secretary 07847 62534
www.botleybaptistchurch.org
Calvary Chapel
Sunday services held at Botley School 10.30 12 noon
Pastor Philip Vickery 01865 864498
calvarychapeloxford@yahoo.co.uk;
www.calvarychapeloxford.org.uk
Sprout
November 2021
Tues 2nd 1 to 3pm, Seacourt Hall, Baby and Chiid First Aid
Course, run by Botley Bridges
Thur 4th 12 for 12.30, Seacourt Hall, Botley Seniors Lunch
Club
Sat 6th 10.30, W.I. Hall, Oxford Area Quillers
Sat 6th 11am, Church Way, Botley wants Action on Climate
Change” photo call
Sun 14th 10.45 Botley Cemetery, Service of Remembrance
Sun 14th 5pm, Ss Peter & Paul Church, Service to
remember Loved Ones Lost
Thur 25th 7.30pm, Seacourt Hall, N Hinksey Parish Council
meeting
Thur 21st Seniors Lunch club, as above.
Sat 27th 7.30, Ss P&P, Cumnor Choral, Handel’s “Messiah”
Sun 28th 101.30pm, W.I. Hall, Botley W.I. Christmas Market
More local events and information on www.botleyhinksey.org.uk